How to do Marc Jacobs in Wonderland

Who's seen the new Marc Jacobs outfits crowned with lofty, bloppy, loopy Alice in Wonderland hats? I hear you calling: "Jody, help me! help me! how can I wear this trend in my everyday life?" Well, as the doorknob said to Alice: "one good turn deserves another" - you've been great readers, now let me give you the benefit of my sartorial scary, er savvy. (No more Alice references, promise, it's getting a bit annoying...)

via

Grab a hat from your costume box or a child's room (ask them first) and just plonk it on. Luckily we had this Mad Hatter one. If you don't own something similar, order one soonest. It's a worthwhile investment and take it from me, will become a wardrobe staple. Dress it up or dress it down. As you can see I'm wearing mine to take out the rubbish and to do the grocery shopping - then out to dinner - and it works!

Taking out the garbage, then dinner!

Grocery shopping, then dinner!

Don't want to toot my own trumpet but I think I've nailed this one.

Fury over School-Gate Fashion Icons

Today I was going to write a heart-warming post about motherhood. But then I read (on CookiesnCandies blog) about the fury generated by a Daily Mail article featuring British Mummy fashion bloggers. The article highlights stay-at-home Mums who take pride in what they wear despite a change in lifestyle and a tight budget. But what was really surprising was the angry comments on the article. Why would this subject elicit such an emotional, visceral response in readers?


Three of the Mummy fashion bloggers featured:

Avril of SchoolGateStyle Source: Daily Mail

.

Lucy of The SuburbanStyle Source: Daily Mail

Beth of StyleGuile. Source: Daily Mail

Very fun and friendly and a good read. As I say, what was mystifying was the comments left by readers below the article. Why would a subject so uncontroversial attract so much anger? Here are just a few of the comments:

*Um, really? Don't they have anything better to do than take photo's of themselves, upload them and blog? Who's paying the bills? Doing the housework? Do they have cleaner's and send out the ironing? And all those moemn reading their blogs? What are they doing? All that free time to indulge in something like that especially when you've a home and children to look after.How lovely to be able to shop for new clothes so you have so much choice, drop the kids off and then come home, put your feet up and get on the internet to blog about what you wore.... No wonder housewives are being given a bad name and receiving bad publicity for being self indulgent coffee morning gossipers who live off their husbands, and in these "tough" times too. Clearly not everyone is having a recession eh? Interesting. - Munchkin, London, 08/5/2012 13:09 --- clearly you have some issues, as stated in the article at least one of them does it whilst her toddler is napping, it takes half hour at most to blog.

*Who cares? I mean really and actually cares? You are dropping off your children to school, no one cares what they look like.

*I just love reading the (Daily Mail, Femail) columns -- they give me such a good laugh. . I am constantly amazed at how empty-headed and shallow some women can be. . I mean, thinking it is SOOOO vitally important what to be seen in at the school gates....... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..

*Just who do these women think they are? We had Samantha Brick the other day & now we have these school mums who 'blog' about what they wear to school. I am ashamed to be female. It's all, me,me & more me. I checked out their websites just to check that this was not a joke - oh dear! I wonder what the mums at their schools truly think of them. They are not alone though,we too have a deluded mum who blogs and tweets (not nice stuff) about school & mums, & guess what - she has thousands of followers, but included in those followers are a lot of mums who don't like her, yet she is so deluded she thinks she is one of the most popular mums - I guess thats the problem with social media.School gates should be a safe place for parents to drop off their kids, not a place for competition, one man upship or judging others. My advice to all those mums out there is be nice, & stop trying to make out you are better than everyone else - you will gain a lot more respect & REAL friends.

End of comments

Jody here again - I'm astounded - what drives the anger behind these comments? I asked some of my American friends and here are their answers.

Sue, 45:  Is it that the commenters think these Mommy bloggers are showing off, that they are trying to be stars, that they think have great taste. That they are trying to tell everybody else what to wear? Nothing could be further from the truth - they are not presenting themselves as models or style icons or big spenders, they are just Moms like the rest of us presenting a fun outlet.

Rachel, 40: People just don't realise how much work and commitment it takes to blog every day. They don't give it any credit.

Sam, 70: They are angry at stay-at-homes mothers, that somehow they should "know their place." Or be invisible. Being a stay-at-home Mom in my day earned you a solid place in society and respect. Now it seems no woman earns respect whether she stays at home or goes to work. 

Kas, 35: I agree; it's about putting stay-at-home Moms in their place. None of my Mom friends ever call themselves a stay-at-home Mom even if they are. They will teach Pilates, do ceramics or work in a store for a couple of hours just so they have something else to call themselves at a dinner party. Also women who work think stay-at-home mothers are "getting away" with something - and vice versa - so there is that tension too. The reality is: we're all just trying to do the best we can.

Caron, 50: Women seem so unhappy these days - so much is expected of them - and the anger from these comments taps into that somehow. One friend spends $500 a week on clothes and make-up to somehow stem that deep-seated unhappiness (and she can't afford it) Other people are really hurting financially and they don't feel their voice is heard. There was an NPR thing on this the other day - being a mother - and giving up work - is the first step to poverty.

Sean, 43: Brits, like Kiwis, have that "tall poppies" syndrome. If anyone is perceived as too big or too successful or too showy their stems have to be chopped off. You don't find that in the US.

The final word goes me, Jody, 50. The first pictured Mummy blogger, Avril of SchoolGateStyle only started blogging in January this year and she's already had 50,000 hits - more than 500 every day by lunchtime! She is doing something so very, very right. Good on you all.

Four Seasons In One Day

Snow, rain, thunder, lightning followed by beating hot sunshine...bloody hell, it's Four Seasons In One Day here in California's Bay Area.  I haven't experienced such crazy, variant weather since I left New Zealand. Maybe everywhere I go, I Take The Weather.  But Crowded House songs aside, what the heck do you put on in the morning?

Me wearing my four "uniforms"

I'm a repeat offender when it comes to clothes and I usually have a "uniform". Lately I've had four uniforms as you never know what "season" it's going to be when you leave the house.

Clockwise from top left:

Winter: Lion King cardy. Bought in Berlin, it actually garners sniggers from schoolgirls when I pass. Him Indoors is not too sure about it and Tallulah, 10 asked: "What nationality is that cardigan?"  Yeah that's right, this cardy is sooo huuuge it has it's own country.
Spring: top, jean jacket - it's stretchy and as soft as Cy's pyjama pants (not sure if that's a good visual) - has to be the best jean jacket in the world. Apparently this year, you're allowed to wear two kinds of denim together - what do you think of that new missive from Fashion Central?
Fall: t-shirt, pants... yes, I know they look like Cy's pyjama pants and they're every bit as comfy...hmm...there's a theme here...
Summer: hat, necklace, t-shirt

Yes, this weekend we arrived back from snowstorms in Tahoe....

Tallulah and Kevin at Squaw, Tahoe

To thunder and lightening in our backyard...

Eight strikes of lightening over the Bay Bridge Photo: Phil McGrew

Then Spring sunshine..

Cy and Jackson playing baseball in the backyard

Talking of Spring, I'm so chuffed to be featured today on The Inglenook Decor. For many years I've been afeared of that Springiest of colours ....pink. Then I realised it was totally popping up in my garden and in my wardrobe. How am I coping? - head on over!

Kardashian Fashmashian

Did you ever wake up one morning and think you looked like Kim Kardashian? No? Me neither. So why did I go out and buy this silky steel-grey Jumpsuit that looks exactly like something La Kim would wear? (so, so well) Another fashion feck-up. Oh well, said a friend, at least you've got something to wear on your next sky diving expedition...

Me in Jumpsuit, photoshopped by Harley, 14

I bought it after a lunch with my Positive Enthusiastic Friend (never go shopping with a PE Friend, like  Sixth Sense Boy, they see things that aren't there). I put on the Jumpsuit and PE friend said: "It's perfect! It will be great for that evening soiree in the City. All it needs is...a slim dark brown wraparound belt, long slinky seventies earings and high gold sandals." I don't have any of those. It was two sizes bigger than what I normally wear. But it was on sale, reduced to a third of the price.

Later, at home, another friend surveyed the damage: You need big boobs and bootilicous bum (ie. you need to be Kim) to wear that Jumpsuit. And...it's way too big for you, it needs to be taken in.

Hmmm. So now this purchase has contravened no less than five of my shopping rules. (My eldest Harley, 14, just read this and said: "You've got rules for shopping?")

Jody's Shopping Rules:

1. Never buy something on sale that you wouldn't pay full price for. (Or you can't take back.)
2. The colour, fit and size must all be right. All three of those things. Ah-ah-ah, ALL three.
3. Wearing the piece must not be contingent on buying suitable shoes, belt, earings etc. to go with. You will never find those shoes, belt, earings and the search will drive you crazy.
4. Never buy something for a life you don't have. There are no "soirees in the City" in my future.
5. Never buy something that requires you to swear on your blog. (Feck is not a swear word though right?)

I have not shown you the back view of this jumpsuit, but without Kim's bum it has the poopy droopy effect.

Which reminds me of another poopy pants thing I bought in Spain -  some rather shiny navy low-crotch shorts. Oh, said a friend at the Shorts Viewing when I got home. The worst of those shorts is: there is a slit at the front. Maybe you should put a flower in it? Arrgh!

Any fashion feck-ups in your wardrobe? Go on, make my day!

Valentine Giveaway

Right in time for Valentine's Day, designer Lesley Evers has made black hearts seem utterly chic and desirable.

Photo: Lara Rossignol

Our giveaway today features a choice of the Kylie skirt (above, A-line, retails at $135) or the Penny (below, shorter and straighter, retails at $95) in either black or lime hearts, subject to availability. To be in to win, simply leave a comment below. The lucky winner will be drawn randomly next Friday10th Feb. This is open to all readers who are followers or subscribers. An extra point for each if you facebook or tweet the offer.

Photo: Lara Rossignol

These photos were taken by the prodigiously talented Lara Rossignol (her blog is Piewacket) at the photo shoot at our house.  Lara's new website highlights a body of work including family portraits and fashion shoots as well as celebrities such as Dennis Quaid, Liv Tyler and Tarantino. Lara reveals also the  grace in our domestic lives and even her Smeg fridge looks sublime.

As with past years Kevin and I will probably allow Valentines to gently pass us by. We're not terribly sentimental and - some would say - not terribly romantic. We go out every Saturday night and Valentine's is one night we'll happily stay in. But like every woman worth her chocolates and roses I love gorgeous big hearts and a kicky new skirt.

What will you be doing on Valentine's?

Photo Shoot at My House (love it, love it...)

We've just had a fashion shoot at our house. My friend Lesley, whom you might have met here, was taking photos for her spring collection. Last shoot we were away, so this time I hung around to make a nuisance of myself (best boy fetcher anyone?) and watch the magic unfold....

Alexis in my neighbour's Thunderbird Blue

Below is model Alexis arriving at 8am, meeting Tallulah,10 and Cy, seven. She was so natural and so sweet to the kids, giving them a hug at the end of the day.

Model Alexis arrives at our house and meets Tallulah and Cy

Alexis and Joshua (hair and make-up) coming in

 Here she is after one hour of hair and make up...

Joshua finishing Alexis' hair and make-up

Alexis arrived sans make-up in an striped XL t-shirt and two-toned Doc Martins from a charity store, worn with thick oatmeal tights and a fringed leather jacket. She told Tallulah and me that she was going through a Japanese street-fashion phase. Alexis was discovered in a coffee shop in LA where she was singing with a punk band and she was immediately cast for the Janice Dickinson reality show. 

Alexis in our backyard

She is 5.8ft and naturally an "athletic size two" which is good for California as well as Miami and Istanbul where apparently they like you to be more "glamorous and voluptuous" (size 2?)  In New York and Asia she needs to be size 0. To get down to that, her daily intake consists of two protein shakes (kale, spinach, almond butter) and one protein meal.

Lara, who blogs at Piewacket had flown up from LA to take the photos and it was fascinating to watch her work. (She doesn't like to be photographed so you will only see a sliver of her arm here and there.) Lara has been doing this a long time: she photographed the young Naomi Campbell and Kirsten Dunst and did the first headshots of Johnny Depp. Amazingly, through her lens the two models look even slimmer and more beautiful. "It all about the exposure" she says. Though the days were dreary and even rainy and she was shooting inside part of the time, she arrived without no lights or equipment other than a big round white bendy thingy. (Best boy jargon, darlings...) 

Lara came alive behind the camera and was enthusiastic and sure in her direction. But the end of the day we were all calling out her signature: "Love it, love it, beautiful, beautiful!"

Two funny things about the shoot - first, the number of people who were there. At times 13 people were bustling around including caterer Erin who dropped off lunch. The crowd included me (amateur location scout who found on our street: a Chinoiserie-style house as a contrast, two vintage cars including a 1955 Thunderbird Blue and Camille the dog who was walking by),  Lesley's husband Curtis (best boygopher), Laura, stylist and head of sales.... the list goes on. Lesley recruited from the talented mothers on the playground so I knew most of them.

Laura, stylist and head of marketing, Lesley and Candes, graphic designer

Curtis and the shoot mob hit the road

Me and Candes (graphic design, video) at the street shoot

And second: everyone was taking photos of everyone taking photos of everyone else...like a Escher staircase woodcut. So -  Lara was also taking pictures for Lesley and for her own blog and for a behind-the-scenes piece for a Canadian magazine. Lesley was taking a video for her website and blog, Candes, graphic design genius was also taking videos and photos for the LE website and I was taking snaps of all of them for my blog.

Alexis and Tallulah take a break

Time to say goodbye, guys

Day Two the crew arrived at 6.45am waking us all up. They were all treated to me in my dressing gown with bedhead (a veritable vision, sweeties). Later there was a wee bit of discussion about how where the massive bag of chocolate-covered pretzels had gone. (Cyyyy??) Alicia the second model was an art student, again, very sweet. And again, the transformation. Meanwhile Tallulah made her lunch and did the vacuuming.

Despite the gloom and rain, Lara the photographer was able to use every spot of light in the house, even in our bathroom.

Alicia must have been freezing but never complained...

The big news - they used my husband, Kevin, as a model. Lesley has started designing men's shirts and as it happened there was a bloke floating around the house at the time. Well just call me Halle Berry. Just call me Andie McDowell (actually maybe not; their husbands left them didn't they?) The kids didn't know whether to be bursting proud or to snort with laughter. They laughed. My thoughts: "Love it, love it, beautiful, beautiful...." 

Kevin poses while Lesley irons

Cy and Tallulah get a kick out of Kevin's poses

Today I'm over the pond minding my manners...sort of. I'm totally chuffed to be featured on BritMums (a 3000-member site for British bloggers) writing about blogging etiquette. Is it good idea to comment: "Whaaoh! Mutton dressed as lamb!" at the sight of a 55-year old blogger wearing a very short denim skirt? Your thoughts?

NEON!

Heads up. If you don't like neon - best zoom off to another planet before March next year.

Bestsellers at Kelsi Dagger

Because neon, day-glo, shocking brights -  whatever you call those irreverent Eighties colours - were the most predominant trend at Fashion Coterie in New York for spring 2012.  Bubble gum pink, Brazil beach orange, acid yellow and bloody bright green. These colours don't give a toss - and that's what I like about them.

Project Kama

I guess the only issue is - is neon going to date? Who cares? Fashion peeps don't think like me, a 49-year-old who's starting to think elastic waistband trou are quite comfy and practical after all. And I guess you could save your Day-Glo pieces for the next go-around in twenty years' time. Speaking of comfort and practicality - splashes from a smoothie? phhht! - this boiler suit at Desigual is a superb alternative to tracky pants.

Desigual

There is no doubt about it - neon is strangely flattering to most skin colours and ever-edgy. There was full-on commitment at Nanette Lepore who is usually so restrained...

Nanette Lepore

And just a touch on these Loeffler Randall shoes...

And even at the more woodsy, craftsy aesthetic of  Patterson J. Kincaid , this little deer found himself in a clearing of bright.

But at dear creatures, a spin on "sentimental tales of whimsy" they stuck to natural colours with classic capes in mustard and forest greens.

Sitting in the back was 25-year-old Smith Sinrod with her beautifully bright Thai silk pieces. It's slow for us, she said. Maybe it's where you're sitting? I replied. She looked so tiny and young and sweet and her Victorian-meets-Mod pieces so lovely I wanted to take buyers by the hand and lead them straight to her.

Smith Sinrod (left) with friend

Another young 'un (she doesn't tell her age but she's early twenties) was Natalia Kuks Jacobs who covered all bases with bright South American prints and floaty romantic. (Another trend -  clipping a blond hairpiece very obviously on dark hair - looks fabulous on her. But I'm sure would be more Norman Bates playing Mother in Psycho.)

More South American brights down the row.

Outside the sensory-overload that is Fashion Coterie, I walked for an hour to St Patrick's Cathedral on Madison, which always has a wooded, stone and candle quiet. Outside on the streets, intermittently five, then ten, then 100 people would gather when a line of police and town cars pulled up. Who was it? One of the Jens? A Housewife? Then someone would say: "Oh, it's just someone from the United Nations" and the crowds would disperse.

The busiest place in town was around the corner on 5th Avenue, the new Hollister, a sort of surfer SoCal Abercrombie and Fitch.

Greeting customers in the front were young men and women wearing just their togs. (swimsuits) People were streaming in. I can't remember if I saw any evidence of the day-glo trend, I don't think so. Turns out there's no need for neon when you're blinded by inhumanly perfect abs.

Buttons, Beads and Balls-Ups

I can now say without fear or favour - whatever that means - that I will never be a frock designer when I grow up. I'm here in New York with friends Lesley and Laura at the trade show Fashion Coterie. While they finished setting up their booth, I was given the simple small task of finding the Garment District and buying nine beads, six ribbons and three buttons.

Laura (kneeling) and Lesley setting up their booth

After two hours of getting lost in a taxi then walking the length of Manhattan and two more agonising hours of indecision over colour, shape and shine I came back with all the wrong stuff.

Lesley was terribly sweet and made it work, but in the Devil-Wears-Prada-Wintour world I would be given a withering "I don't understand why you can't ..." and red-soled booted back onto Starbucks duty. The ribbon was shiny silk and not matte cotton, the beads wouldn't fit through the ribbon and the buttons were plastic, not enamel.

Me in the Garment District

 

But now I've seen the dazzling sights of the trim capitol on the Avenue of the Americas. Others may come to view shows, museums, walk in the park and reflect upon the history of this nation. But I have witnessed the seas of beads and walls of buttons and rooms of ribbons....and I have now a huge respect for those who blithely pick trim in a matter of minutes and move on with their lives.

At M&J after viewing more ribbon than would fill a lifetime of Bronte sisters' novels, I headed into the button room. Gentle Readers I was unsure whether to rein in my wobbly lip and vapours or collapse sobbing on the floor, my button tray askew and sadly unfilled. Taking pity on me the assistant, Jose, offered to climb the ladder and help me pick my three buttons.

What about just above those?

Meanwhile a bizarrely eclectic mix of people milled around: huge dudes wearing biker gang jackets looking for more interesting patches, little old ladies finding a button to match a much-loved pink cardy, punky young girls hunting down glitter for their skull and crossbones emblems.

Across the road at BeadCenterNY (golly, these people don't waste energy selecting a shop name) I cornered another assistant to help me pick the beads.   Until her boss spotted me as a time waster and cautioned the poor girl. I then turned to these chaps, both jewelers, to give me a second opinion.

Tomorrow I'm going to leave this trim stuff to those-who-know-and-can-decide and stick to the simple role of clueless tourist.

Lesley and Laura showing the Spring 2012 line to buyers